Huckabee Off to a Good Start

02-05-2008

Hey, it's one state but he'll take it. Mike Huckabee won West Virginia and the Romney camp is complaining. Read from The Times Online:

Supporters of John McCain and Mike Huckabee joined forces today to rob Mitt Romney of an early Super Tuesday victory in West Virginia, a clear sign of how the two Republicans are conspiring to try and deny the former Massachusetts governor the nomination.

Mr Romney had been expected to win the state's 18 delegates, and had personally campaigned there. He won the first round of voting but fell short of the 50 per cent needed for outright victory. Mr McCain's supporters fell in line behind Mr Huckabee for the second ballot, giving him a winning total of 52 per cent, ahead of Mr Romney's 47.

The result will count for little amid the grand sweep of the nationwide, 21-state Republican vote, but is a potent demonstration of how vital Mr Huckabee's unexpected win in Iowa, and his decision to stay in the race, has been in helping Mr McCain resurrect his campaign to become the Republican frontrunner.

A Romney spokesman accused the two of "cutting a backroom deal."

Here's more from Romney campaign manager Beth Myers:

"Unfortunately, this is what Senator McCain's inside Washington ways look like: he cut a backroom deal with the tax-and-spend candidate he thought could best stop Governor Romney's campaign of conservative change.

"Governor Romney had enough respect for the Republican voters of West Virginia to make an appeal to them about the future of the party based on issues. This is why he led on today's first ballot. Sadly, Senator McCain cut a Washington backroom deal in a way that once again underscores his legacy of working against Republicans who are interested in championing conservative policies and rebuilding the party."

If you're a Huckabee fan, you must be pretty upset at Romney and his campaign right about now. First, the Romney campaign complains that your guy needs to get out of the race and now they are discounting your win in West Virginia. I mean, is Huckabee taking votes away from Romney? Yes. But is Romney taking votes away from Huckabee. You bet. So it cuts both ways. Romney may have better poll numbers but it's somewhat a slap in the face to discount Huckabee as irrelevant. The guy rose from the ashes, won Iowa, West Virginia and been competitive in places like New Hampshire and South Carolina. He deserves his due.

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